"We're not just a team, we're a family, and like any family we have good times and bad times, but we always stick together."

Estíbaliz, Traffic manager Schnellecke Logistics España

 

Estibaliz

Estíbaliz, how did you come to logistics and especially to Schnellecke?

"I graduated in Business Administration and Management from UPNA in Pamplona. During my last semester, I did an internship at Volkswagen Navarra, where I first came into contact with the world of logistics and transportation. Looking back, I believe that this experience determined my professional career.

During my time at Volkswagen, Schnellecke established the Pamplona site and a colleague at Volkswagen offered me to try my luck there. Schnellecke was completely unknown in Pamplona in 1999, and the challenging task of our small team was to change that. Part of the team from the very beginning is still there today, and we have now been working together for more than 20 years.

However, I have not been there the whole time. Due to other circumstances and because I needed a change of scenery, I worked at another company for five years."

 

Why did you come back?

"I like the way the company works. Schnellecke gives me the opportunity to shape my own professional and private life and gives me the trust I need to do so.

Back in our early days, my small agile team and I had our own way of approaching tasks. We worked a lot, but we had a great time. Looking back, I am very grateful that I always had open-minded supervisors. They allowed me to grow professionally and I was able to learn a lot from them."

 

That all sounds very positive. Have you also had negative experiences during this time?

"Yes, of course I did. I was a young woman in an industry dominated by men. It was no walk in the park. I had to learn to stand up to prejudice and make my point more clearly. Because I was the one with the experience and know-how, and I knew that my ideas and approaches were justified."

 

What are you currently doing at Schnellecke and what does your team look like today?

"At the moment, I'm in charge of the Transportation division in Spain. We are a team with more women than men, and that works very well. Sometimes we laugh about the different routines of women and men, but always in a funny way and of course without offending each other."

 

As a woman in the logistics world, what qualities do you find most important?

"Tenacity, reflexivity, sincerity and empathy."

 

SEL W@S RGB

It's interesting that you list empathy. In many studies, empathy is considered a typically female trait. Why is it so important?

"Too much empathy can certainly be a hindrance in everyday work, but for me it's important to empathize with the people who surround me. If someone in my team isn't as motivated as usual because he or she may have a problem, then it's my job as a manager to notice this and respond appropriately. It can't just be about getting the best results all the time. We also have to make sure that everyone is doing well.

We're not just a team, we're a family, and like any family we have good times and bad times, but we always stick together."

 

What do you wish for generations to come and what do you wish you had done looking back?

"I wish that no woman would ever have to ask herself the question, 'What would I do if I were a man?' The differences between the sexes should not be seen as a disadvantage, but as opportunities. In my opinion, a good mix of traits and personalities is of great value to any team and therefore to the company."